AHA Coding Clinic® for ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS - 2016 Issue 4; ICD-10-CM NEW/REVISED CODES
Glaucoma
New codes were created to capture laterality for subcategory H40.1, Open-angle glaucoma: H40.111 Primary open-angle glaucoma, right eye H40.112 Primary open-angle glaucoma, left eye H40.113 Primary open-angle glaucoma, bilateral H40.119 Primary open-angle glaucoma, unspecified eye Seventh characters specify the stage of glaucoma. Primary open angle is the most common form of glaucoma. In primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), the intraocular pressure in the eye increases as the balance of aqueous humor that flows out of the eye is not equal to the...
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Article Overview
This article explains coding updates for glaucoma within ICD-10-CM and provides a broad clinical overview of primary open-angle glaucoma. It is useful for coders, clinicians, and revenue cycle staff who need to understand how the diagnosis category is organized and why documentation of eye laterality and stage matters in glaucoma-related records. The article also covers general disease concepts, symptoms, vision effects, and common treatment approaches at a high level.
Why This Topic Matters
Glaucoma is a common eye condition with important documentation implications for diagnosis coding and clinical communication. Understanding the coding structure and the general disease context helps support more accurate record interpretation and safer use of the updated code category.
Article Sections
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Coding update for open-angle glaucoma
This section introduces a coding update affecting the open-angle glaucoma category and notes the addition of laterality-related structure. It also references the role of glaucoma staging in the code set.
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Clinical overview of primary open-angle glaucoma
This section provides a general explanation of primary open-angle glaucoma, including how it develops and why progression can affect vision. It describes the condition at a high level without focusing on coding rules.
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Treatment overview
This section summarizes broad treatment approaches used for glaucoma management, including medication and common surgical procedures. It discusses the general goal of treatment rather than specific coding decisions.
What You Will Learn
- How the open-angle glaucoma category is organized in ICD-10-CM
- What primary open-angle glaucoma is at a broad clinical level
- Why laterality and staging are relevant in glaucoma documentation
- What general treatment approaches are commonly used for glaucoma
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Ophthalmology clinicians
- Compliance staff
- Revenue cycle professionals
- Health information management professionals
Codes Discussed
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